Emirates, the world’s largest long-haul airline, and Nigerian airline Air Peace have signed a bilateral agreement that would expand air connectivity across West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Air Peace announced that the agreement with Emirates allows air travellers to connect from West and Central Africa to Dubai and London “on a single ticket, with through-checked baggage.”

“We are expanding Africa’s access to the world!” Air Peace said in a statement shared on its social media page on Monday.

“Today, we have activated a bilateral agreement with Emirates @emirates, unlocking smoother connections from Nigeria and across West and Central Africa to Dubai, London, and beyond, all on a single ticket, with through-checked baggage.”

This move deepens the partnership between the two airlines, allowing smoother air connectivity across Africa, Dubai, and London, according to Gulf News.

In addition to 13 Nigerian cities, air passengers can now easily connect Banjul in The Gambia and Dakar in Senegal via Abidjan, as well as Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia via Accra.

Speaking on the deal, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, said, “Enhancing our interline partnership with Air Peace allows us to expand our footprint across more of Africa, creating new opportunities for people to fly better with Emirates, while helping international tourists explore more of the region via Lagos.”

He added, “We remain committed to working with strategic partners such as Air Peace to further strengthen Nigeria’s aviation, tourism, and trade sectors.”

Nowel Ngala, chief commercial officer of Air Peace, said, “This interline agreement with Emirates represents a major step in Air Peace’s strategic vision to connect Africa more efficiently to global markets.”

He added, “By combining our strong regional presence with Emirates’ extensive international network, we are delivering seamless connectivity, improved travel experience, and greater access to key global destinations for African travellers.”